


The Peppermint Problem

by maraudersaffair



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Banter, Candy Canes, Christmas Fluff, Doctor/Patient, F/M, Flirting, Getting Together, Healer Hermione Granger, Professor Draco Malfoy, St Mungo's Hospital
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:09:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27583198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maraudersaffair/pseuds/maraudersaffair
Summary: Professor Malfoy has an allergic reaction to peppermint candy canes. Healer Hermione to the rescue!
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 14
Kudos: 120
Collections: round 12 2020





	The Peppermint Problem

**Author's Note:**

> Written for prompt: "Professor Malfoy has an allergic reaction to peppermint candy canes. Nurse Hermione to the rescue!" 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

“Stop moving, Malfoy,” Hermione growled.

“I’m not showing you my tongue.”

“This examination will take loads longer if you don’t. I’m a professional. I can handle any symptom.”

Malfoy looked at her skeptically, one sleek eyebrow raised. Hermione averted her eyes from his face; she refused to be distracted by his looks. 

“You want to laugh, Granger,” he said. “I can tell.”

“You have pink hair.”

“That, I do.” He flushed a bit then. Hermione had to bite her lip.

It was half-past eleven on Christmas Eve, almost midnight. Hermione had worked most of the evening at St Mungo’s. She was used to working over holidays; the money was quite good and it wasn’t like she had anything better to do. Harry and Ginny were busy with the kids, and she would rather jump off a cliff than spend Christmas Eve at the Burrow or with her parents. 

“Tell me again what happened,” she said. 

Malfoy gritted his teeth, still flushed. They were older now, closer to thirty than twenty, and Malfoy had grown into his looks. He was attractive now, _handsome_ even. His cold silver gaze warmed her up from head to toe. 

“It was a cursed candy cane,” he said, teeth bared. “I knew it the moment I put it in my mouth.”

“You were at your manor?”

“Yes.”

Hermione made a noise in her throat and stepped closer. “May I touch your throat?”

“I suppose.”

Gently, she put her hands on his long throat. She moved over his warm skin, feeling for any signs of swelling. His pulse jumped beneath her fingers. “Please let me see your tongue,” she said quietly. 

He shot her a look of warning before he opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue. Hermione forced her expression to go blank even though she wanted to giggle. Malfoy’s tongue had red and white stripes - like a candy cane. _I wonder if it tastes like peppermint, too?_ she thought, then quickly ignored herself. She was at work. She _must_ remain professional.

“You can laugh,” he said, defensive. “I know you want to.”

“I’m not going to laugh.”

“Don’t lie. I can see it in your eyes.”

“You seem to be looking at me quite closely, Malfoy.” 

“You’re the one who’s staring, Granger.”

She frowned. “I’m your healer. We are in an examination. Staring is a requirement of the job.”

He huffed and crossed his arms. “Can you fix me? That’s all I want to know.”

“Of course I can fix you,” she said, turning away briefly to Summon a phial. “However, I need to complete a test to make sure I’m on the proper track.”

“What kind of test?”

“I need a bit of your pink hair.”

“ _Fine_.”

Hermione stepped even closer. She smelled his faint cologne now. It was spicy and mellow, and quite lovely. “I need to snip off a bit of your hair. Where would you like me to cut?”

“The back,” he croaked. 

She glanced down and found his gaze glued to her breasts. She had no idea what he thought he was seeing through her loose lime green robes, but his eyes tracked the faint outline of her chest through the fabric. Smiling, she let him look. 

Using her wand, she snipped a sliver of his pink hair and placed it in the phial. The phial contained a clear solution that tested for allergens. The solution bubbled up, forming a green slime. 

“That looks vile,” Malfoy said.

“I know what’s the matter. You are allergic to peppermint.”

“Impossible,” he said faintly.

“The test proves it’s correct.”

“Test me again. That phial was faulty.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Really, Malfoy. Don’t you trust me as a medical professional?”

“It’s the phial’s fault, not yours. Test me again.”

“All right, but this time I will need to take a bit of hair from your fringe.” She drew closer to him again.

“No, wait!” He looked panicked, his cool eyes as big as Galleons. “I - _fine_. I’m allergic to peppermint.”

“You needn’t look so devastated. You can cast a simple spell before ingesting the plant.”

“I know. It’s just that I enjoy it very much during the holidays.”

She smiled. “Me too. I especially enjoy my fair share of peppermint bark.”

He was watching her closely now. “I hope you won’t deem me inappropriate, but you have a brilliant smile, Granger.”

Her smile widened. “I know, Malfoy. Now close your eyes. I will cast a spell that will cure your symptoms.”

“Will it hurt?”

“Oh, hush. You are acting as if a Hippogriff is in the room.” Before he could respond, she touched her wand to the centre of his forehead and muttered the spell. The lovely shade of pink dissolved, revealing his usual gleaming white blond hair. 

Malfoy stuck out his tongue. “All better?” he slurred.

“Yes.” She was smiling again. 

“Thank you, Granger.” He sounded surprised.

Hermione moved away to the counter to disinfect her wand. She expected Malfoy to dash away but instead he lingered. He cleared his throat. 

“So, Granger.”

“Need anything else?” She turned to him, the expression on her face quite professional. 

Malfoy was flushed again. He fiddled with his sleeve nervously. “So, Granger. Are you seeing anyone?”

“Oh.”

“Right, I understand.” He made for the door, but she stopped him with an answer.

“No, I’m not seeing anyone. Are you attempting to ask me out?”

He huffed. “I’m not _attempting_ anything. Do you want to get a drink with me sometime?”

“Just a drink? I’m not that kind of girl.”

“What do you mean?”

She moved closer, letting her hips sway. “I want you to take me to dinner, Malfoy. It’s what I deserve.”

“I see.”

She closed the space between them. Staring into his eyes, she placed her hand on his chest. He radiated heat through his robes. His eyes had darkened. “What do you say, Malfoy?”

“I say yes,” he croaked, then hastily cleared his throat. She wanted to kiss him, but she didn’t dare. She was still at work. “I return to Hogwarts in January. I teach Potions there.”

“I know.”

“Right. Well. I hope that’s not a deal breaker.”

“It’s not. In fact, I would love to see your classroom.” She stared into his eyes as she said this.

“Oh, hell,” he said, breath catching. “I need to leave before I do something truly mad.”

“Good idea.” She moved away, giving him space.

Malfoy smoothed his hair back. He gave her a soft smile. “Thank you for helping me, Healer Granger. I will owl you tomorrow about dinner.”

“It was a pleasure, Professor Malfoy,” she purred.

His eyes flashed but he walked to the door. "Happy Christmas," he said softly.

"Happy Christmas!" She watched him leave the room. For the rest of the day, Hermione couldn’t stop smiling.


End file.
